


Creativity in Shackles pt. 2

by princelogical



Series: Sanders Sides Misc. Work [17]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, dark!Virgil
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-20
Updated: 2018-03-20
Packaged: 2019-04-05 00:31:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14032224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/princelogical/pseuds/princelogical
Summary: “It had to be done,” Virgil chokes out. “It was the logical option.”“In this instance, even I would have gone for a more illogical optionor.Logan finds Roman.





	Creativity in Shackles pt. 2

When Virgil comes back to Roman’s room holding a paper bag full of breakfast meal supplies, Roman is fast asleep, tears still stained on his raw cheeks. His wrists are red with dried blood caked on indentions on his wrist and that makes Virgil’s stomach turn unpleasantly. The bed is completely stripped of the sheets, the sheets discarded on the floor and even ripped in some places. The pillows have knocked just out of reach so Roman lays, using one of his arms, bent at an odd angle, as a pillow.

Virgil bends over and picks up one of the discarded pillows and brings it over to the bed where he carefully sets it under Roman’s head. Roman stirs and blinks sleepily. As soon as his eyes meet Virgil’s, however, he glares, eyes murderous, at Virgil.

“I brought breakfast,” Virgil says quietly. He just barely stumbles out of the way before Roman goes to sock him in the jaw. “Geez, easy, Princey.”

“Don’t talk to me like that,” Roman snaps. “I’m not an animal.”

Virgil ignores the comment. “I got bagels and uhm… cream cheese and some orange juice and sausage.”

“I’m not hungry,” Roman says.

“You need to eat,” Virgil says helplessly.

“You can’t force me,” Roman replies. Then the colour drains his face as if realizing that, in theory, Virgil _can_.

“Look, I’m sorry,” Virgil goes on, opening the bag. “You’re just… You’re gonna get Thomas hurt.”

“You’re going to make him miserable!” Roman says, voice rising. “He can’t live some sheltered life with no risk just because you’re scared. And you can’t chain me up in here and expect me to what… not tell anyone?”

“You won’t,” Virgil says quietly. “You’re too prideful to admit that I bested you for once.”

“I’m not your enemy!” Roman shouts.

“You act like it.”

“Because you’re always shutting me down and shutting me up!” Roman jerks at his chains and hisses in pain when one of the wounds on his wrist reopens and begins to bleed. “Like this! You’re acting like a… a monster!”

Virgil flinches at the words. “Just eat. Please.”

“No,” Roman snarls. “No. How do I know you haven’t poisoned it? To shut me up for good, huh?” Virgil’s eyes widen, alarmed. How could Roman think he’d _do_ something like that?

“It’s not poisoned,” Virgil says.

“I don’t care. I’m not eating. Let me go.”

“I will. Once prom passes.”

Roman lets out a loud cry of frustration and slams his fist down onto the bed. “Let me go! Now! Today!”

Virgil sets the food on the bedside table, making sure it’s within Roman’s reach. “I’m sorry.”

“Prove it! Let me go!”

Virgil sighs and sinks out, Roman’s yelling echoing in his ears and filling him with guilt as he does so. Immediately, he runs into Patton who wears a frown.

“Heya, kiddo, have you seen Princey?”

Virgil nods. “He’s not feeling well.”

“Oh. Poor Princey,” Patton says. “I’ll go check on him-”

“No need,” Virgil says. “I already have. He’s okay, just upset he can’t do much for Thomas right now.”

Patton sighs. “I know. He was so excited about that idea… Maybe I should talk to him.”

“He’s kind of grumpy so I’d just leave him alone right now. He tried to punch me,” Virgil says.

“Oh dear.” Patton twists the fabric of his cardigan in his hands and sighs once more. “Remind me to check on him later. Maybe he’ll be in a better mood later.”

“Will do.”

///

Patton was unsurprisingly easy to sell, however, Logan was much less easy.

“He’s sick?” Logan asks with a frown. “He was perfectly fine yesterday.”

Virgil’s pulse races as he broadens the lie. “I think it’s creative burnout partly.”

“Burnout,” Logan repeats. “He does not often burn out until he follows through with an idea.”

Virgil shrugs. “He’ll be better before prom, I’m sure, back to his normal annoying self.”

“We need Prince to help us decide what to do about Henry,” Logan says. “Prom is approaching quickly. It is only a week away, Anxiety.”

“I know. If he’s not better, we can handle it.”

Logan frowns. “Perhaps.”

///

Two days before prom, everyone is panicking, even Logan. “It is far too late to ask Henry,” Logan says.

“No,” Patton whines. “Come on, Henry doesn’t have a date. Where’s Roman’s proposal idea?”

“Where is Roman?” Logan asks. “I am beginning to grow concerned.”

“Is he still sick?” Patton asks.

“Yes,” Virgil rushes in quickly. Logan frowns.

“I am going to go check on him.”

“No!” Virgil shouts.

Logan’s frown deepens. “I beg your pardon?”

Virgil coughs. “I’ll go check on him.”

He sinks out. Logan waits. He waits for several hours until Patton is tucked away in his room and Virgil lounges on the couch. Logan sinks out and into Roman’s room, feeling suddenly hesitant and nervous. The room’s lights are dimmer than they have ever been, usually lit up. The room’s smell it emits isn’t very pleasant, as if something was rotting. Logan flicks on the bedside lamp and his eyes almost don’t register the scene in front of him; first glance shows Roman sleep uneasily in his bed. But upon a second glance he realises, Roman is _chained_ to the bed, chest rising and falling, stuttering breaths, even in sleep, as if he’d cried himself to sleep.

His princely attire looks baggier on him than usual and his hair is far from regal; it’s greasy and messed up in several directions. There are no sheets on the bed, just one pillow tucked tightly against Roman’s chest. The chains unnerve Logan to his core so he turns to see on the bedside table several types of food accumulated on the table. Uneaten. Barely touched.

Logan slowly approaches the bed and even though they startle him, the emotions he feels almost bring tears to his eyes. Who would… who _could_ do this to Roman?

 _Anxiety_ , the logic whispers. Logan tries desperately to ignore it and gently shakes Roman’s shoulder.

“Prince. You need to wake up.”

Roman looks up tiredly, squinting. “Logic?”

Logan swallows and nods. “What has happened to you?”

Roman grins but it looks weak and exhausted. “Not much. How’re things without me? How’s Thomas?”

Logan reaches and touches the chains. Roman flinches and Logan notes the bandages around his wrists. Whatever this is, it’s been intentional. Calculated. They’re come in and given Roman bandages and food.

_Anxiety._

Logan shudders. “Do you know how I might release you?” Logan asks.

Roman shrugs. “No idea. I didn’t create them so I can’t will them away. I can’t break them. And… I don’t have my sword so I can’t cut them.”

“Is there a key?”

“If there is…” Roman trails off and shrugs, pulling the pillow closer to his chest. “Anxiety has it. And he’s not letting me go until prom.”

Logan swallows again and feels cold ice slipping down his spine. “I will find a way to release you.”

“You can’t. Unless you want Anxiety to catch you and shackle you up with me, I’d suggest you get out.”

“I refuse to leave you,” Logan says.

Roman scowls. “How noble of you. But I’m not in the mood for a white knight right now. Just go.”

“Have you… eaten at all during this week?” Logan asks.

Roman shrugs. “A little.”

“This is outrageous! You cannot accept this. I am getting Anxiety,” Logan snaps and sinks out to the living room where Anxiety sits with his MP3 player and earbuds in his ears. The scene fills Logan with an anger he can barely contain.

“What have you become?” Logan snaps.

Virgil jerks up, eyes wide. He yanks the earbuds out. “What?”

“You trapped Roman in his room. Literally _chained_ him into his own bed. That is a cruel thing to do, Anxiety. I would have thought better of you.”

Virgil shrinks back. “You don’t understand; I was protecting him. And Thomas and Patton. And you.”

“In the process, you have injured and likely traumatized him. Hand me the key. This instant. Or I will notify Thomas of what you have done. And Patton.”

Virgil’s eyes widen and he slowly reaches into his pocket and withdraws a key. “It had to be done,” he chokes out. “It was the logical option.”

“In this instance, even I would have gone for a more illogical option than that,” Logan snaps. He takes the key. “I hope you understand the severity of what you have done, Anxiety,” he says seriously. “If Roman never forgives you- I will understand.”

He sinks back out. Roman lays on his back and stares at the ceiling. He raises his eyebrows upon seeing Logan. “Well. You’re alive.”

“Yes,” Logan says. “You need not have been so dramatic. Virgil would not kill me.”

“Hm.”

Logan walks over and unlocks each shackle. Roman sits up, rubbing his wrists and ankles, wincing as he tries to stretch.

“Would you like to go to my room?” Logan asks. Roman reaches out and balances himself on Logan’s shoulder.

He lets out a short laugh. “I should have eaten more. I’m dizzy.”

“I will get you something in my room,” Logan promises. “Do you think it will be all right for you to sink out or would you like me to wait a few moments?”

“We’re fine.”

Logan sinks out with Roman; as soon as they rise up into Logan’s room, Roman lurches and vomits over the carpet.

“Sorry,” Roman mumbles and looks angry with himself.

“It is fine. Lay down.”

“I’ll clean it up.”

“No. I will. Lay down.”

“I can clean it up-”

“Damnit, Princey, just lay down,” Logan snaps.

Roman raises his hands and stumbles over to Logan’s bed where he flops down. Logan walks over to his desk and opens a drawer, pulling out an apple, a granola bar, and a water bottle.

“Eat,” Logan says. Roman obeys, scarfing down the granola bar, then the apple then guzzles down the water as Logan cleans up the mess. Without a word, Logan pulls out another apple and Roman eats it, a lot slower this time.

He finishes it and after a few moments, he begins to sob.

“I didn’t think he’d do it, Logan. I never thought Anxiety was truly a villain but…” Roman chokes on his tears and buries his face in his hands.

Logan doesn’t know what to do to soothe him so he just hands him another apple with shaking hands and smooths Roman’s hair back.

“Would you like to take a shower?” he asks finally.

Roman nods. “Please.”

As Roman showers Logan sinks out into the living room and yells louder than he ever has at Virgil and Virgil just takes it, silent tears slipping down his face. When he finishes, Virgil asks one shaky question:

“You won’t tell Patton?” Virgil asks quietly.

“No,” Logan says. “Would you like to know why?”

Virgil looks down and swallows. “Why?”

Logan leans in closer. “It would crush him to know that the “son” he admires so, that he constantly assures us is not a villain, is actually no better than any of the other dark sides.”

Virgil flinches. “I’m so sorry. Tell Princey that. Please.”

“I will tell him. However, I will not hold it against him if he does not accept it.”

Logan locks his cold eyes with Virgil one last time then walks off.

Virgil shudders. The mindscape is somehow colder than ever. Weeks pass and it grows colder. Roman and Virgil don’t speak to each other unless it’s to argue or call each other names. Roman awakes nightly in a cold sweat but Logan never orders Roman to return to his room.

Roman’s almost tip-toeing around Virgil. He comes to Thomas with ideas late into the night when Virgil is supposed to be sleeping. Things aren’t normal. The relationship between the sides is rocky at best and even Patton notices.

Still yet, it’s a secret kept tightly between Logan, Roman, and Virgil and no one appears willing to be the first to tell it.

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback is always appreciated! :)


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